This invention relates to storing foodstuff in any chamber of a refrigerator, and particularly to a foodstuff container receiving apparatus for storing small quantities of various types of foodstuff in selected individual containers.
Today's household refrigerators are generally provided with a freezing chamber and a refrigerating chamber arranged in a vertical superimposed configuration, each of which permits the storage of freezing foods and refrigerating foods. Especially, the refrigerating foodstuff is going to be diversified, so it is necessary to classify foodstuffs to be stored into their types, and it is preferable for the user to provide direct-access to the corresponding food stored in a selected container when desired.
Also, in consideration that microwave ovens are broadly used in general households. If previous cooked foods stored in a refrigerator is simply reheated again at morning or at a desired time, it can lead to a convenient life pattern. It is known that the storage of a food storage container exclusively adapted to the electronic range is very advantageous.
Typical prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,470 entitled "REFRIGERATOR INCLUDING A SECONDARY FOOD STORAGE ARRANGEMENT", in which a refrigerator food storage compartment having a shelf assembly includes a pair of vertically extending laterally spaced rail members. A shelf is supported on a pair of horizontally extending arm members which are positioned on the rail members. Carried on the shelf assembly is a secondary food storage arrangement supporting a plurality of containers. The arm members include confronting grooves arranged below the shelf, and slidably arranged in the grooves is a container supporting frame which includes pairs of confronting flanges supporting the frame to provide access to the containers. The front portion of the frame includes a front opening through which the containers may be removed while the container supporting frame remains attached below the shelf.
In particular the secondary food storage assembly is provided with the frame and a plurality of the containers. The frame includes front and rear walls, two side walls and a divider member fixed midway between the side walls to form two side-by-side support regions. Each of the side walls has a flange projected from its lower edge into the support regions, and also the divider member has flanges extended from its lower edge into the support regions. The container is provided with a projection integrally extended outward from around its side walls to enable the plurality of containers to be supported on the support frames.
But, this arrangement has a shortcoming in that when a selected container is to be removed from the support frame, the support frame is pulled out, and then the selected container must be removed in reverse-order of placing the containers on the supporting frame. That is, a container located farthest from the user cannot be removed until a container located closest to the user is removed. The containers may often fall off due to careless mistakes when placing them on the support frame, i.e., when the projection of the container is not properly suspended on the flanges of both side walls and the divider member. Furthermore, the frame cannot be adapted to a conventional self rail member due to the formation of a particular shaped flange projecting outward from the side walls thereof.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a foodstuff container receiving apparatus exclusively adapted to use in conjunction with a microwave oven.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foodstuff container receiving apparatus making it possible to remove a plurality of containers from a frame, individually, and in any order as well as to enable the frame to be easily positioned on a shelf assembly.
Also, another object of the present invention is to provide a foodstuff container receiving apparatus whose use is simple and convenient.